


Her Cross To Bear

by Galactica_Brit



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-02
Updated: 2017-11-11
Packaged: 2018-08-19 00:38:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8182237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Galactica_Brit/pseuds/Galactica_Brit
Summary: Kara faces a brutal walk to her end.





	1. Chapter 1

The procession was slow. Less than walking speed. The citizens of National City lined the streets, ten deep in places, silent, watching, tears evident on many of the faces. Children clung to their parents who did their best to shield the young ones from having to witness this enforced spectacle. This ghoulish parade. The bright sunshine and pleasant temperature incongruous with the brutality being carried out before them.

The procession ground to a halt once again. One of many times since the slow meandering chain of military had begun to lead their prisoner out from the new prison (that had once been town hall) up main street and towards the old Central Gardens. It was a place nobody voluntarily went to anymore. Where once picnics, holidays and lazy afternoons were spent playing on the green grass or lying under the shade of the trees, now was a place of misery, suffering and more often than not protracted agonizing death.

Once martial law had been declared and General Lane had been installed as the leader of the city joy had fled. Not just from the aliens he persecuted, but from ordinary citizens. The people still wondered exactly how things had changed. How they had gone from being a prosperous, modern city to a place where the old, old ways were effectively brought back. Where superheroes had now been deemed dangerous villains. Where one man’s crusade against the Kryptonians had enveloped and cast misery over millions.

No one disputed his right to grief, his youngest daughter had after all been one of those killed in the destruction of the City Bowl that terrible evening when the city at large first became aware of the alien threat amongst them; when the name Fort Rozz became common knowledge, when aliens were real and when a band of them had rained chaos and death down on a simple concert being held in the city. But his grief gave way to anger gave way to hatred and a seething crusade of vengeance. His position and sway with those who held power convinced them of his view of the deadly threat posed by all aliens, not just those responsible for the massacre.

He was given the power to declare martial law, to impose draconian new laws and even worse punishments for any alien not having declared themselves or those giving them shelter. 

There had been resistance. CatCo was a place and voice of the people. It was not unexpected, Cat Grant had always been a mentor and supporter of Supergirl. In the beginning her media empire railed against the imposition of martial law. Of the undemocratic seizure of the city. Of the persecution of innocent aliens. Of Supergirl. Her magazines ran comparisons between General Lane’s special military force and the dark memories of world wars in the last century; of the vilification of a whole swathe of people because of their race; of the secret police, detentions and public executions. Her voice was loud and insistent. 

Until three months ago. 

Until the day Supergirl disappeared.

What the public saw as her disappointing capitulation and lack of support just when it was needed was infact borne of her fear and terror. Not for herself but for Supergirl. It has been made explicitly clear to Cat one evening when masked men had ‘borrowed’ her from her apartment and taken her, hooded, to a dark room, that her silence was absolutely key to the continued existence of the very person she tried to protect the most. That had been the last time Cat had seen Supergirl, had seen Kara, until today.

Back in that dark room her hood had been taken off while her arms were held roughly behind her back as she loudly protested freedom of the press. Immediately as her vision was cleared rendered her silent though. Immediately infront of her was a large window, evidently she was viewing an interrogation cell wherein the occupants of that cell couldn’t see her. 

Kara, her assistant, her Supergirl was in that room. Sat on a metal chair, side on to Cat, her strong arms pulled back and shackled behind and to the chair. Her ankles similarly chained to the front legs of the chair. Her head hung down to her chest asleep or unconcious, her hair pulled back into a loose ponytail gave Cat an unobstructed view of the bruises and blood liberally coating her face. A split eyebrow bled down her cheek, a cut swollen lip added more blood to the trail. Her skin glistened with fear driven sweat. The orange jumpsuit she wore was ripped in places, spotted with blood and sweat. It was ill-fitting, the short sleeves baggy around her biceps, the pants riding above her calves. Cat was dumbstruck. 

It was explained to her in no uncertain terms that this was just the beginning for Supergirl. She was a prize long sought after by the General and he wouldn’t be happy until he had rung every last bit of information from the girl both physically and mentally. There was no escape from this for the Kryptonian but the degree of her suffering could be ameliorated if Cat agreed to stop reporting against the General and the new order. It was made abundantly clear as Cat watched two burly soldiers enter Kara’s cell to demonstrate what WOULD happen if Cat did not cooperate. 

The next two hours were burned into Cat’s nightmares. It involved Kara being slapped awake, injected with what Cat later learned was liquid kryptonite to keep her powerless, forced into stress positions all while awful, awful footage and sounds of that night at the bowl were pumped into the cell. The soldiers filling Kara’s head with how it was all her fault for ‘coming out’ and giving the Fort Rozz aliens a reason to stay in National City. Cat could see how worn down Kara was getting, could see her trying not to take the narrative on board, but knew even she wouldn’t be able to hold out for too much longer against the torture. Cat begged them to stop as they ended the session with Kara by beating her unconscious. After that CatCo never publicly mentioned a word against the General or his regime.

Now, three months later, Cat watched horrified as the display wall in her office livestreamed the newest parade. Her media empire had been used to broadcast what the regime wanted. Her agreement she thought had spared Kara. Now she saw how wrong she’d been because this death march, this one, was Kara’s.

There on the screen from all angles was Supergirl. Fallen so far from grace as to be almost unrecognizable. Save for the mocking House of El ‘S’ symbol they had drawn onto the orange jumpsuit. That last insult made it plainly obvious to even the most casual observer who was under the blood, bruises and tears. Brave tears, no sobbing, no theatrics, the girl did her best to hold her head up but her suffering, and her evident history of prolonged suffering was clear in her gaunt ravaged frame. The silence of the watching crowds made the sight even more surreal. The crowd suffered with her. But were unable to help. 

The horror of this archaic spectacle wasn’t lost on any of them. It was the first time this particular aspect to the parade had been seen. The horrendous association with a sacred story to some was all the more jarring for how barbaric it was to witness in real life, not merely read from a long ago written book. For Kara wasn’t just walking to her death unhindered. Her legs were shackled together by a short length of chains. Her wrists too held together by a length of chain. None of that was new. But the heavy, rough, 12 foot long wooden cross she was made to carry was. 

No one could quite believe what they were seeing. Up until now execution by firing squad was the method. Not this. Not this awful torture.

So when Kara stumbled, when she was brought to her knees by the combination of her injuries, her lack of basic food water and health, and the weight of the cross both physically and mentally, the crowd gasped. A dangerous murmur started up as people wanted to stop this, to help her. One lone figure darted out to Kara’s side, risking their own life to help her. Hands in the air to show their non-aggressive act the man knelt down next to her, his hand cupping her face gently as she stared at the road trying to get her ragged breathing under control. He lifted her face carefully, stroking her hair back behind her ears, tears pouring down both their faces as Kara recognized Winn. Choked up she couldn’t speak but his quietly spoken “Kara, Kara be strong, just a little longer” was just loud enough for her to hear. 

Cat watched, tears streaming unchecked down her face as she saw Kara sob upon seeing her hobbit friend. She watched as the boy helped Kara up, did his best to take the weight of that wooden abomination as she dragged herself to her feet. The guards closing in on them to take Winn away Kara spoke up, spoke directly to them to please give her a minute. She deserved a minute. Of course her words fell on deaf ears, Winn was torn away from her and she was lashed across her back and shoulders and made to move on.

And so it continued. For the next hour the citizens of National City bore witness to their protector, their hero, make her painfully slow progress the mile or so to the park. Countless lashes covered her back, evidence of the huge struggle this last walk was wringing from her. She fell more as the time progressed. Her waning strength clearly all but depleted. Four more times members of the crowd had risked themselves to help her back to her feet. Each one offering her heartfelt support, praying openly for her.

Finally they arrived at the gardens. The crowds ushered in and made to fill the space. Children once again were shielded from what the adults realized with more and more disbelief and horror was indeed going to be a full crucifixion. How on earth had this come to pass.

As Supergirl had reached the head of the park the soldiers had beaten her to her knees, the cross falling from her shoulders. As they manhandled her onto her back onto the cross her eyes caught the one person in the crowd she hoped beyond hope would not be there to see this. In her exhaustion she could barely hold her head up off the wood to make eye contact with Alex, to stop her tears, to beg her not to watch. 

As they took off her manacles and stretched her hands out along the crossbeam she started to fight them. Not to save herself, she was past believing that was possible, but because she saw Alex raise her weapon and step forward ready to fire on the soldiers, to try a fools mission to save her. Kara was consumed with terror for her sister. 

Before Alex had taken two steps or got a shot off she had been tackled from behind, piled on by numerous soldiers, disarmed, cuffed and pulled to her feet. She’d caused a disturbance, the crowd was riled up into a dangerous murmur clearly ready to not conform any longer, to stop this. But then General Lane appeared from behind the cross, his presence enough to quell the noise. On recognizing Alex his eyes lit up as he gave orders that she be held and made to watch this before being placed under arrest. Alex fought against her captors until she heard Kara, barely audible but enough so she could hear her pleas to her sister to stop. “Please Alex, don’t make them hurt you. I love you Alex, please”.

Before Alex had a chance to respond the men holding Kara down drove thick long nails through both wrists and her ankles. Simultaneously. No one in the crowd would ever forget the screams as Supergirl was nailed to that cross. Infact she couldn’t stop screaming as they kept hammering them in and then wrapped thin wire around wrists and ankles to secure her. As they pulled the cross upright and staked it into the hole in the ground everyone could see Supergirl crucified, held aloft above their heads, tears streaming down her face as she continued to scream then whimper.

Silence reigned other than the poor girl’s suffering. Utter silence.


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know its been a while. But my muse is back, dark as ever. Fluff this is not.

Night had fallen. With it the darkness shrouded the park. Old street lamps gave some illumination, the soft sodium lights giving a warm glow across the brutality taking place.

Once Supergirl had been hoisted aloft, crucified and screaming, witnessed by an entire city in person or on the mandatory broadcast, General Lane had switched his focus. The silence that had fallen as Supergirl passed out, suspended on the cross was absolute, save one person. Alex Danvers.

Shackled and held down as she was Alex fought. Rage drove her off her knees, forcing the hands holding her down to rise with her as the soldiers in charge of her gaped up, distracted, at the spectacle of the city’s superhero in such a state. Alex kicked, twisted, dropped and swept her legs at their knees, headbutted, charged, fought and fought trying desperately to reach her sister. But it was in vain. There were too many guards and she literally had her hands tied behind her back.

A stunning blow to her temple knocked her senseless to the ground, a boot to the stomach following it kept her down and gasping for air while two men dropped onto her back to hold her still.

A wave of muttering went through the crowd, a burning resentment at what was happening started to ripple, a hint of calls for resistance. But as soon as it started it was quieted down, the vast majority too scared for themselves, for their children to allow a mass uprising. No one wanted what was happening, but no one had any power anymore to intervene. The consequences all too plain to see. Fear made cowards of the masses.

And throughout it all General Lane smirked, fully aware of the utter dominance of his authority, the steps he’d put in place for the last months devastatingly effective in giving him all the power. And how he loved wielding it.

Now he had a new focus. That other Danvers woman, she’d gone to ground when her sister had disappeared. One of the only things he’d not managed to torture out of the Kryptonian was where the ex-DEO agent would have gone. He wanted her punished, the one who’d fucked his daughter, corrupted his Lucy. Oh they may have tried to say it was a relationship but no child of his would commit such sin. Not without being led into it by a degenerate, or two as was the case, he’d not yet given up on getting hold of Detective Maggie Sawyer too, the third member of the ‘relationship’ Lucy had tried to explain.

But now he had one of them infront of him. That her suffering would add to that already borne by the alien added to his joy. He didn’t want to wait to start her penance. With sharp commands he ordered the park emptied of the crowd, cameras taken away, the live feed cut.

Minutes later an expectant silence had fallen amongst the soldiers left gathered infront of the cross. Twenty of the General’s most trusted inner circle remained. All battle scarred, seasoned, utterly loyal men. All of them had taken part in the torture of prisoners. All of them had in some way already hurt Kara. The glint in their eyes showed they would enjoy having a go at the new woman in their midst.

Motioning to the men pinning Alex to the ground to stand her up General Lane stepped into her personal space. Reaching up with one hand to circle her throat his other forced her to look up at her sister.

“What do you say, you think you’re sister has suffered enough for you yet? You know in all this time and with every single humiliation we made her suffer through, not once would she tell me where you were.”

“You son of a bi…..”, Alexs enraged lunge at him was cut off as he rammed a fist up into her ribs while preventing her collapse with a tightened grip around her neck. He carried on as if Alex had said nothing.

“Not once. Even when I had her stripped naked, crawling, crying, begging. Not when I had her hung like a side of beef outside in the rain and the cold, when I had her hogtied and thrown into a cage meant for a dog. Not when I gave her the choice of sleep, or food, or water in return for giving you up and she still didn’t. Have you ever seen your sister sleep deprived, starving, desperate? Do you know what she’d do to make it stop? I think she asked every man you see here to put his dick in her mouth at one time or another.”

Alex cried out in rage, tears streamed down her face, heartbroken at what Kara had endured, so much worse than she’d dreamt even in her worst nightmares. As she struggled and opened her mouth to curse him out he backhanded her and continued talking.

“Of course she never gave you up. Not even when we sodomised her with kryptonite and locked her in a dark box unable to remove it herself. Man she screamed the place down for hours…..”. He broke off into laughter at an attempted headbutt from Alex.

“I’m gonna fucking kill you, you fucking animal, I….” A closed fist broke Alex’s nose and landed her flat on her back on pinioned arms, General Lane straddling her, his face up close to hers, hissing with rage at her as she choked on blood.

“On the contrary, Agent Danvers, I am going to fucking kill you. But not until you have paid for what you did to my Lucy. You fucking dyke. I’m going to see you suffer and repent and then you’re going to die. And trust me, we’re going to show you exactly what men can do that you can’t. And then you’re going to tell me where I can find Detective Sawyer” His voice shook with anger and his last words were almost a whisper as he finally saw fear in the eyes of his newest captive.

Standing up off her he glanced up at Supergirl, “It’s a shame you showed up you know, now your poor sister isn’t going to get to die today like she should.” Turning his head to glare at Alex once more, “You remember this dyke, everything that happens from now on is entirely as a result of what you and that Detective did to my Lucy.”

With that he stepped off Alex and ordered his men to get Supergirl off the cross and both of them back to the prison.

His revenge was at hand.


End file.
